Incheon Aviation Industry Industry-Academia Convergence District Established in Songdo... Campus and Corporate Research Center Completed

Fostering Root Industries and IT Convergent Aviation Industry
Inha University Moves 3 Departments and Graduate School of Manufacturing Innovation
Organic Linkage Between Education and Industrial Field

Aerospace Industry-Academic Convergence District established in Songdo, Incheon
[Photo by Incheon City]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] An industry-academia convergence zone for fostering the aviation industry, which integrates the root industries and IT of the Incheon region, has been established in Songdo International City.

Incheon City announced on the 8th that the Aviation Industry Industry-Academia Convergence Zone Aerospace Convergence Campus and Corporate Research Center have been completed in the Songdo Knowledge Information Industrial Complex, with one basement floor, five above-ground floors, and a total floor area of 20,000 m².

This place is designed with education and research facilities, corporate research rooms, and classrooms for employees to organically connect education and industrial sites.

The Aerospace Convergence Campus is scheduled to open in September, with three departments from Inha University (Department of Aerospace Engineering, Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering) and one professional graduate school (Graduate School of Manufacturing Innovation) relocating here, serving a total of about 500 students and researchers.

Here, project labs involving students to solve corporate problems and business labs supporting startup activities of aerospace campus students will be operated. Additionally, lifelong education centers and future talent development centers will be housed to provide industry-academia cooperation and student startup education.

The Corporate Research Center plans to establish training rooms for employees, an aviation equipment center, and a GE additive manufacturing center. By attracting companies and research institutes in the fields of aviation parts, drones, UAM (Urban Air Mobility), big data, and metal additive manufacturing, it is expected to maximize synergy through industry-academia convergence. The resident companies number 60, employing 890 people.

The Aviation Industry Industry-Academia Convergence Zone is a national project led by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, with the Incheon Industry-Academia Convergence Foundation, a non-profit corporation jointly established by Incheon City, Inha University, and Incheon International Airport Corporation, spearheading the project. Inha University invested the project site, and the government, Incheon City, and Incheon Airport Corporation invested a total of 58.9 billion KRW to develop it.

The industry-academia convergence zone aims to transform the industrial ecosystem into a better working environment through cooperation among universities, companies, industrial complexes, and local governments, linking Incheon's root industry-based manufacturing industry with aviation technology, and establishing a foundation for the smart mobility industry (autonomous vehicles, aerospace unmanned vehicles, drones, etc.) that will lead future innovation.

Incheon City plans to establish a basic plan for aviation industry promotion and a plan for the creation of the Incheon Airport economic zone in line with the establishment of the industry-academia convergence zone to provide systematic support for the development of the aviation industry.

An official from Incheon City stated, "With the establishment of the industry-academia convergence zone, it has become possible to provide full-cycle support for the aviation industry, including education, research, human resource development, and corporate support,"

and added, "Incheon, which possesses excellent aviation infrastructure, is expected to play a central role in leading the domestic aerospace industry."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.